Highway sign



T. R. wlLLwERscHEm- 1,861,072

HIGHWAY -sIm` Filed April 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HW n. i w w W M\ fffrw^v^^^^ m u ud I AGGGQQQ@ f i/ F /0 y, @@@OGO f. Q WM. G O OGOOGGO. M Y f M wLH W H May 31, 1932.

May 3.1, 1932- T. R. WILLWERSCHEID 1,861,072

HIGHWAY snm` i-"iled April 16. 195o 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 APatented May 31, `19324 UNITED STATES Araur orner.

THEODOR R. WILLWERSCHEDI), OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO WESMRN STAMP- NG & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A. CORFORATION 0F MINNESOTA HIGHWAY SIGN Appncann ined 'apru 1s,

This invention relates to the manufacture of highway signs of stamped metal, the general object being to enablethe production of such a sign efficiently and economically. The invention is concerned both with the method of making the sign and the itself.

n manufacturing metal signs by stamping, it is customary to employ dies for individual letters, which are placed one after the other to spell a word or abbreviation; then the whole word is stamped as a unit on a metal plate. Now, it is desirable that the sign plate have a flange extending completely around it, to give it rigidity and to also assist in housing reflecting members carried in the space behind the sign plate. However, different words customary in signs vary in length,the word Slow for instance if properly embossed being longer than the word Stop, and the word Dange7 longer than either. Accordingly, if the necessary blanks are formed each of the proper lengths for different words and each having a boundary flange would necessitate carrying in stock a large number of blanks. On the other hand, to stamp the margin of the sign into a boundary flange after the letters are embossed is difficult and expensive and is likely to distort the embossing.

To provide for the above difficulty, I make my sign .by embossing the characters on a sheet metal plate which is either flat throughout, or has only longitudinal edge flanges, and is free at its ends. Then after, the embossing is accomplished, I attach flanged end caps which register with the side flanges and form a continuous boundary flange. In this way I can assemble the group of dies for the sign irrespective of their aggregate length. and employ them to emboss on sheet metal which is cut off' to the proper length. the width of such blank strip being the same for all the signs, that is, slightly greater than the height of the letters. Thereafter I add the end caps, which are the same for all of the signs.A lf the signs are embossed on an entirely flat strip. the edge flanges maybe made by means of a brake or the blank may be of channel shape with its longitudinal edge flanges in place at right angles to the body.

1930. Serial No. 444,882.

t is entirely within the spirit and purpose of my invention to cut from standard stock on hand, which may or may not have the longitudinal flanges already formed on it, a panel of the proper size for a sign. My end caps may then be added and thereafter the characters may be stamped on the panel.

The end caps are stamped metal members, and may be electrically welded to the opposite ends of the stamped anel, thus being effectively joined to the bo y and flange portion of the panel. To form a flush connection of the end cap with the panel and its flanges, narrow zones at the ends of the panel and flanges are offset inwardly for a distance corresponding to the thickness of the met-al of the cap, and the cap has such dimensions that it may slide snugly over the odset portions and have its outer surface flush with the outer surface of the flanged sign panel. Spot welding may then secure the ca s in place, after which any gap between t e extreme edge of the end cap and the sign at the offset may be filled by brazing. Thus a perfectly smooth continuous exterior surface is obtained which, after painting or enameling, will not differ in external appearance from a sign with its entire flange formed inte rally, with the panel. It will be understoo that the end ca may be welded to the ends of the panel' wit out the offset overlapping portions, if desired.

My invention, whichV includes both the method above outlined and the sign no matter how produced, is illustrated in the drawings hereof, and my preferred embodiment is hereafter more fully explained in connection therewith.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a plan of a strip of metal from which the body of my sign may be made, the regions of subsequent bending being indicated by broken lines; Fi 2 is a vertical section through cooperating ies which may form the sign panel; Fig. 3 is a plan of a metal signin the condition in which it leaves the dies of Fig. 2 Fig. 4 is a perspective of one of the stamped end caps; Fig. 5 is a plan of the end portion of the sign after the cap of Fig. l has been attached; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through a completed sign omitting the reflecting members; Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the same; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale adacent one corner of such completed sign; ig. 9 is a fragmentary cross section on the line 9-9 on Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic face view of a completed sign of greater length than that of Fig. 3, but made by the same process; Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section of the sign, illustrating means for holding reflecting units in the panel openings. Fig. 1 shows a blank for the sign, which in this case comprises a flat strip of metal 10 u having certain notches 11 cut in its end re- Athe ons. If4 desired, however, the blank may ave its longitudinal ed s flanged at right angles (bent along the 'ne 12) before the stamping operation. and 21, in Fig. 2, indicate palrs of male and female dies respective] each pair representing a certain letter. eyond the ends of the assembled line of dies are pairs of end dies 22, 23, which are designed to form o'set the end portion of the face of the blank. The groups of dies 20 and 22 are locked in one member of the ress (not shown) and the corresponding sies 21 and 23 inthe other member and the embossing is effected by pressure, as usual. The male dies 2O are shown as having rows of round projections 24 along each letter and female dies have c rresponding cylindrical openings 25.

The operation of the above dies is to emthe various letters as indicated at 15 in Figs. 3, 6 and 8 and to punch out rows of round openings 16 therein, and to offset the end portions of the embossed panel in the direction away from the characters as shown at 17. The result is that a sign panel is produced of the character shown in Fig. 3. If

this sign is made from a channel-shaped blank, the ends of theflanges are now offset inwardly and then the panel is ready for the attaching of the end caps. If the panel has been made from a plane blank, the edges are then Banged in a brake or other suitable machine to produce the same effect. In either case, the end portions of the fianges are offset inwardly corresponding to the offset of the embossed panel to form seats on the panel and flanges for the end caps.

' The notches 11 formed in the ends of the blank enable the ready inward offsetting of the end regions of the side flanges without disturbing the end portion 17 of the panel which is likewise inwardly offset along the line indicated at 18 in Fig; 1. The completely stamped panel with its odset end regions and its anged side edges and its face 19 havmg the emboed sign characters hasthe appearance substantially as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The end caps '30 are stamped sheet metal members of the lform shown in Figs. 4, 8 and 9. Each cap has a narrow base 31 of a length arel all of the same width, differing only in length for dierent words, the same caps are available for any length sign It will be seen that by my method of making the si the cost of production is very much re uced over stamping the entire border flange by a pair of dies special forl each size of sign. Moreover, while a given end cap of my sign is only suitable for a sign of a definite width, different sized end caps may be made by the same tools; thus reducing the cost of manufacture even where the width of the signs are different. In making these end caps, I prefer to stamp at one operation a rectangular dish-shaped member having a complete border flange, and after this is completed, to cut it' apart, making two end caps. Now, the important parts of the die for this operation are the orner portions, and by maklng these arts individual and supplying distance b ocks between them, I can build up a rectangular die of any suitable size for stamping the flanged plate, which, when cut in two, will make caps of the desired size.

Afterthe sign panel has been embossed and flanged, the stamped end capsk are simply shoved into place over the'inwardly o set end portions of the panel and flange, as illustrated in Fig. 9, and then secured in place. I prefer to secure the parts together by spot welding ina few isolated regions common to the cap and offset portion of the si as in-` dicated at 37 .in Fig. 9. After suc operation, the crack between the edge of the cap and offset of the sign may be closed by brazing, as indicated at 38 in Fig. 9. After this, the brazing may be polished smooth, and the entire exterior surface of the sign painted or enameled.l I can thus produce a si which presents the same appearance as an integral- .ly stamped sign.

The round openings 16 in the stamped letters of my sign are made for the transmission of light, or for the insertion of reflecting members; for instance, round glass balls as indicated at 40 in Fig. 11 may be suitably mounted behind the sign panel and project part way through the openings.. Suitable means, as for instance'an internal plate 45 within the boundary of the flange may hold such glass balls in place. Then, a final closure plate 50 may be secured at the beek approximately flush with the rear edges of the sign panel and end cap flanges to make a complete closure.

The interior plate 45 which holds the glass balls if such are employed may readily be held by screws e6 to threaded stirrups 47 spot welded to the face plate 19 of the panel. To secure the back closure plate 50 in place I have shown ears 51 secured to one of the edge flanges of the panel and the back plate 50 having openings hoo ed over the ears. The free edge of the back plate is shown as held by screws 53 passing into clips 54 secured to the other side flange. Any other suitable means however, may be employed for securing the back plate in place. Likewise, the present invention is not concerned with the means for holding the glass balls against the front panel, nor with the employment of such balls at all, though if such balls are employed they may well be carried in metal jackets 41 having reduced extensions 42 occupying openings in the plate 45 and a spring washer 43 may surround the reduced shank to maintain a tight engagement of the ball with the front plate 19. If desired, an elongated reflecting panel might be employed in the sign in place of the reflecting balls, or the openings through the sign panel might be omitted altogether, the rest being simply embossed but not perforated as indicated by the sign 60 in Fig. 1G.

I claim:

l. n. sign comprising a panel to carry the indication, said panel having flanges at its edges, the panel andthe flanges being oset adjacent `the ends and a pair of end caps made of separate pieces of metal permanently secured to the panel, each end cap having a base portion, a ange portion and two end portions, said base portion overlapping the ofi'set of the panel and the end portions overlapping the oft'sets of the flanges.

2. A sign comprising a panel to carry the indication, said panel having flanges at its edges, the panel and the flanges being ofi'set inwardly adjacent the ends, and a cap made of a separate 1piece'of metal having a base port-ion, a flange portion and two end portions, said base portion overlapping the oii'set ot the panel and the end portions overlapping the offsets of the flanges, said cap being permanently secured to the sign proper, and soldering material filling the gap between the edge of the cap base and the face-or the sign panel.

3. A sign comprising a panel to carry the' indication, said panel having flanges at its edges'. the panel and the flanges being offset' inwardly adjacent the ends` and a cap made of a separate p1ece of metal having a base portion, a flange portion and two end por' tions. said base portion overlapping the ofiset of the panel and the end portions overlapping the offsets of the flanges, said cap being secured to the sign proper by electric welding to produce a sign having a continuous rearwardly extending border flange, and a closure for the sign adjacent the rear of such flange.v

4. A sign comprising a stamped panel member, said panel member having flanges at its top and bottom edges, and a pair ofrend cap members, each end cap member having a base portion, a flange portion and two end portions, one of said members being offset inwardly adjacent the end, and the other of said members overlapping the offset, the two members being welded at said overlapping portion.

5. The herein described finishing end for signs, comprising a substantiall rectangular base portion and flanged portions adjacent three edges of the rectangle, said flanged portions being substantially normal to the base portion.

6. A sign having a qnadrilateral indicia carrying panel formed in substantially one general plane, flanges formed at two opposite sides of the panel, said flanges being bent away from the general plane of the panel, and terminating in a plane to the rear of the panel, and end caps attached to the panel, said endcaps engaging the panel and the end portions of the flanges, and each cap also having a rear edge terminating in the second mentioned plane.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

THEODOR It. WILLWERSCHEID. 

